


Amber

by Crookes



Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:21:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25432267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crookes/pseuds/Crookes
Summary: A rare day of peace
Relationships: Finan/Uhtred of Bebbanburg
Comments: 7
Kudos: 40





	Amber

**Author's Note:**

> I just needed Uhtred & Finan with the babs, technically this would be between S3 & S4 but don't think too much on how this fits into the show or the books because I put little to no thought into it other than exorcising my pressing need for Uhtred to have *one* freaking day when all that was required of him was to be a father and be happy 
> 
> I really hope it's as cathartic for you as it was for me :)

Uhtred had spent most of the morning trying to teach his eldest son the basics of sword-skill whilst his youngest son, Osbert, watched and giggled from the comfort of his wet-nurse’s lap. It had been a frustrating endeavour and by the time the sun had reached it’s peak in the sky Uhtred had given up and gone to dunk his head in the lake to cool his temper.

Uhtred Uhtredson bore his name, he was his heir, and yet the boy showed no skill with a blade and even less interest in learning. Uhtred worried that the time his son had spent in the company of Alfred’s priests had too deeply affected his allegiances, he had been swayed by the Christian god like so many were these days.

For perhaps the first time in his life Uhtred felt passing sympathy for his own father when he would run off to wreak havoc or listen to tales of the old gods from the blacksmith rather than study or train.

Then he remembered the beatings and the sympathy quickly evaporated into sullen resentment.

Once bathed Uhtred gathered his things from the lake shore and made his way back to the hall, pulling on only his britches and tossing his shirt over his shoulder. Osbert had been passed to one of the younger servant girls and Uhtred stopped to pick him from her arms and ask where Uhtred the younger had wandered off to.

“I think he went to find Abbess Hild, Lord,” she answered, smiling as she passed Osbert over and then going to help some of the local tenants with distributing food.

Uhtred nodded and thanked her, it may not be what he wanted but he at least trusted his son with Hild more than any sanctimonious crow. The sun was beating down on him now and he desired nothing more than the shade of his hall and a cold draught of ale.

Uhtred tickled Osbert’s belly absentmindedly, grinning at his youngest son’s squeals of laughter. It may not be something he admitted often, but Uhtred had missed his children desperately when he was banished north.

As Uhtred ducked inside the main hall into the blessed shade he could hear Stiorra’s raised voice.

“No! I will marry _you_ and then no poxy boy will ever bother me.” Stiorra was vehemently asserting as Uhtred walked in.

Stiorra and Finan were sat at one end of the central table, Stiorra frowning as she stabbed at a plate of bread and cheese with a dull knife whilst Finan looked on with fond amusement.

Uhtred tucked Osbert into the crook of one arm and went to join them.

“Should I be concerned that you are trying to steal my daughter away Finan?” Uhtred teased. Finan chuckled and Stiorra looked up, still clearly outraged by whatever conversation Uhtred had interrupted.

“Father! I’ve decided I will marry Finan so I don’t have to marry anyone else and I can do as I like but he won’t agree! Father, make him agree!” Stiorra cried. She was still waving around the blunt knife and Uhtred grinned at her, caught by the sudden wave of pride he felt seeing this fierce little girl that Gisela had raised.

Finan was now full on cackling and Uhtred winked at him even as he dropped a kiss on Stiorra’s head, careful not to jostle Osbert too much as he tried to assuage Stiorra’s wrath.

“So rather than stealing my daughter away you are saying that you are too good for her?” Uhtred feigned offense.

“Lord, I would never!” Finan protested dramatically, “I would accept Stiorra’s proposal gladly if only I were not already spoken for.”

“Oh, spoken for are you?” Uhtred grinned, settling down in a chair on the other side of Finan, Finan was now attempting to look pained at the admission but his mirth was barely concealed, Uhtred grinned conspiratorially at him.

Luckily Stiorra was too confused by Finan’s assertion to notice the teasing.

“Who?!”

“No-one who can compare to you wee one,” Finan reassured her, Uhtred ducked his head and cooed at Osbert to hide his pleased smile. Finan wasn’t wrong, Stiorra was the best of them and the fact that Finan loved her as much as he did made warmth coil in his chest.

“I’ll fight them for you!” Stiorra proclaimed, Uhtred barked a laugh and then immediately panicked when Osbert screwed up his face, tears brewing at the corners of his eyes. Uhtred bounced him on his lap till Osbert gurgled happily again, the threat of a tantrum passing just as quickly as it had come.

Stiorra ignored her father’s sudden preoccupation, determined to argue her point.

“I will father! Just watch me!” Stiorra switched her attention again, almost rising from her seat, “Finan you have to tell me who it is so I can challenge them!”

“Oh leanbh bocht,” Finan crooned, rising from his own seat and placing a gentle kiss on the crown of Stiorra’s head, “ that is a story for another time, when you are older perhaps.”

With a swift smile in Uhtred’s direction Finan made his excuses and left the hall, leaving behind a pouting Stiorra and a fond Uhtred.

“I don’t see why he can’t tell me now, I’m plenty old enough,” Stiorra grumbled, still stabbing at her plate of food though there was hardly anything left of it but mashed up crumbs. Uhtred chuckled but left her to her displeasure, knowing nothing would convince her out of it and choosing instead to enjoy the moment of peace with his children.

Though she might not appreciate him saying it right now, Uhtred took great pride in the fierceness of his daughter, she was beautiful when she was angry. Truthfully she was beautiful when she was happy and smiling as well, she was always beautiful to him but he could see so much of both himself and Gisela in her when she was angry. His temper and her strength of will.

The wave of affection and pride that swelled in his chest combined with the afternoon warmth and the soft, baby smell of Osbert lulled Uhtred almost into a light doze. Time slipped passed them like warm treacle, slow and sweet, the day crystallised in amber for Uhtred to hold onto when he inevitably had to leave again, called to war and blood and death.

~

Later on when the children had been put to bed, Young Uhtred returning to the hall sheepishly, Stiorra now considering a dozen new schemes to put off any potential future suitors and Osbert fussy but eventually down for the night, Uhtred managed to corner Finan.

Ostensibly Finan had come to report on the roster for which of the men were posted on guard duty for the week but _ostensibly_ Finan came to report on a lot of things that Uhtred mostly left up to him.

“You should really try to avoid goading Stiorra into challenging me to a duel in future,” Uhtred teased, dragging Finan into a dark corner.

“What goading? There was no goading,” Finan laughed, “You know once she’s got an idea in her head there’s no talking her out of it, she’s got too much of her father’s stubbornness.”

Uhtred hummed in reluctant agreement, bringing his hand to Finan’s jaw to pull him into a gentle kiss, scritching at the line where beard met warm skin.

Finan sighed against his lips like he had been waiting all day for this, a quiet moment of their own, the hard lines of their bodies fitting against each other like two halves of a whole. Finan was the first to deepen the kiss, hands pulling at Uhtred’s waist, tongue tracing the inseam of Uhtred’s lower lip.

Uhtred smiled into it, caught by the bright, shining moment of being happy and content with his life.

“You know…” Uhtred muttered between shared breaths, “’spoken for’ sounds an awful lot like we’re betrothed.”

Finan pulled back slightly, eyes bright with amusement.

“Are we not? But what will I say to my father when I tell him you have taken my virtue?!” Finan mock gasped.

“Probably that you enjoyed it, right before you spit on his grave,” Uhtred teased back.

“Aye, you’re probably right about that a mhuirnín,” Finan muttered softly, leaning in again to savour the taste on Uhtred’s tongue. Uhtred let the kiss linger, enjoying the rising heat in his blood as his hands wandered across Finan’s collarbone.

“Bed?” Uhtred murmured.

“Oh, you just want to ruin my virtue some more,” Finan grinned.

“Who says you won’t be ruining my virtue?” Uhtred winked, “Besides I have to compete against my own daughter now, I’ve got to do _something_ to keep your affections.”

“Oh I think I’m going to enjoy you vying for my hand in marriage,” Finan laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> leanbh bocht - Poor baby  
> a mhuirnín - Darling  
> (Translations from Irish Gaelic are only from a bit of googling so apologies for any egregious errors!) 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed, it made me happy so I sincerely hope it makes you guys happy as well :) ...also I've like barely edited at all so if you spot anything glaring feel free to holler at me
> 
> Kudos and comments as always make my day so much brighter
> 
> And if you want to flail with me about Uhtred/Finan and TLK in general then I am of course on [tumblr](https://crookes-library.tumblr.com/)


End file.
